Accelerator pedal switch



z. A. BRUEGGER 2,623,135

ACCELERATOR PEDAL swncH Filed May 2s, 195o l Dec. 23, 1952 I NV EN TOR.

fi z2 Wa mw@ ATTO R N EYB Patented Dec. 2?,- 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SWITCH Z. A. Bruegger, Boise, Idaho Application May 26, 1950, Serial No. 164,573

(Cl. o- 59) .1 Claim. l

This invention relates to foot actuated switches for direction signals of motor vehicles, and in particular a lever pivotally mounted on the under surface of an accelerator pedal with engaging arms extended upwardly at the sides and with a contact element positioned to engage contacts positioned at the sides of the opposite end of the lever.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a pedal switch wherein circuits are completed by twisting the foot toward either side.

Various attempts have been made to incorporate signal switches on accelerator pedals particularly where the switches are actuated by the toe of the foot but it has been found difficult to design a switch that may be actuated with the foot in the natural position and with a slight twisting movement of the foot. thought in mind this invention contemplates a lever having upwardly extended arms positioned against the under surface of the Vaccelerator pedal with the lever pivotally connected to the pedal at a point corresponding to the center of a twisting movement of the foot on the accelerator pedal and with contacts provided on the end of the lever opposite to that from which the foot engaging arms extend.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for constructing a foot actuated switch so that it may be mounted on the under surface of an accelerator pedal and actuated with a natural movement of the foot.

Another object of the invention is to provide a direction signal accelerator pedal switch that may be mounted on accelerator pedals of vehicles now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an accelerator pedal switch for direction signals of motor vehicles which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a pair of contacts positioned on an insulated block on Ithe under surface of the lower end of an accelerator pedal, a leverhaving a contact extended to engage the contacts on the under surface of the accelerator pedal pivotally mounted on the pedal and having upwardly extended arms positioned at the sides of the pedal, and a positioning projection extended from the under surface of the pedal and positioned to snap into a recess in the lever for retaining the lever in a neutral position.

Other features and advantages of the inven- With thispositive action for a foot actuated accelerator,10

tion will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view looking upwardly toward the under surface of an accelerator pedal showing the improved signal switch pivotally mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the pedal and switch elements.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the pedal showing the lever actuated toward one side thereof.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the pedal and switch elements taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the direction vsignal switch of this invention includes a lever I0 having a contact II extended from one end with arms I2 and I3 extended upwardly at the sides of an accelerator pedal I4, and with the lever I0 pivotally mounted on the pedal by a bolt I5.

The contact plate I I is mounted on an insulating block I6 by rivets I'I and the block I6 is mounted on the lower surface of the end of the lever I0, as shown in Figure 2. The opposite end of the lever I0 is provided with a recess I8 that is positioned to receive a projection I9 on the under surface of the foot pedal I4, and with the arms I2 and I3 extended upwardly at the sides of the pedal I4 the lever I0 may be actuated to the position shown in Figure 3 or to a similar position on the opposite side of the pedal.

The contact plate II is positioned to engage contacts 20, 2| and 22 mounted in an insulating block 23 and, as illustrated in Figure 4 the contacts 20 and 22 are formed with circular or U- shaped ends with flanges 24 and 25 thereof, respectively secured to the pedal I4 by screws 26 and 21 that extend through the block 23 and also through the flanges 24 and 25. The screws are threaded into sockets in the pedal I4, as shown.

The bolt I5, which holds the lever I0 against the under surface of the accelerator pedal I4 is provided with a spring 28 and the tension of the spring is adjusted by a nut 29 on the end of the bolt. A washer 30 may also be provided between the lever I0 and the under surface of the accelerator pedal I4.

The accelerator pedal, which is pivotally mounted in a bearing stand 3I by a pin 32 is provided with a control lever 33 at the outer end and the center contact 2I of the block 23 is connected through a source of current supply by a conduit 34 which extends through a thimble 35 in the 3 floor 36 of the vehicle. Similar wires 31 and 38 are connected to the contacts 20 and 22.

With the parts arranged in this manner the wires 31 and 38 are connected to one of the terminals of direction signals and with the other terminals of the signals grounded 4and with the center wire 34 extended to one terminal of a battery with the other terminal of the battery grounded, it is only necessary to twist the foot to the right toindicate that the vehicle intends to turn to the right, and to the left to indicate that the vehicle intends to turn to the left. means it is not necessary to slide the foot upwardly to the upper end of the accelerator pedal and also it is not necessary to remove the hand from the steering wheel. The switch is `actuated by the natural movement of therfoot and without shifting the foot to a different position.

It will be understood that modications' may be made in the design and arrangement of the napart'swithout ldeparting from thespirit of .the invention.

""What is claimed is: ".Inan accelerator pedalv foot actuated direction signallswitch the combination which comprises a T-shaped lever having a stem portion .and a cr-ossbar kportion respectively pivotally mounted on the under surface of an accelerator pedal of fa motorrvehicle adjacent that Aend of the stem remote fromthe-'cross-bar portion, said lever hav- .feeder contact and each of the said side contacts alternately, said lever having a recess therein, and aprojection on the under surface of the accelerator pedal positioned to snap into the recessv ofthe lever for locating the lever in the neutralpositionwith. the said contact plate out of engagement with the said U-shaped side contacts of the block of insulating material on the pedal.

Z. A. BRUEGGER.

' REFERENCES VCITED The following references are 4of recordfin the le'of'this patent:

UNITED .STATES 'PATENTS Number Name `Date 1,897,681 Smoyer Feb.- :14,11933 1,949,568 Gotham Mar. 6, y1934 2,141,075 Akers Dec. 20,11938 2,247,135 Romano'etal. Junev 24g-1941 2,462,767 lOl-'teilly Feb. l22,11949 

